"You're getting my floor all dirty," she scolded them. She tried to keep the stern expression on her face but their pitiful looks worked their magic on her. "Go get cleaned up and come back with the mop," she said with a smile. They rushed out before they could get in anymore trouble.
Emily laughed, as she continued to work on their dinner. She'd been having some horrible morning sickness and had missed making breakfast for the hands a couple of days that week alone. She felt really guilty about it but no one was complaining.
She was making it up to the guys by making extra special dinners and sending them with leftovers to snack on later. They told her if she kept cooking such good dinners, she could miss breakfast every day.
Mark stopped her paychecks and put her on all his accounts. She'd tried to insist on keeping things separate but he wouldn't hear of it. He told her everything he had was now hers, too. She didn't feel right about that.
He told her he was looking for another cook, because he wanted more time with his wife. She'd stubbornly refused to accept anyone else. Several people had come by for interviews and she'd managed to find something wrong with each one of them. It didn't help they'd all been women and a few of them far too sexy to be around her husband, daily.
She knew it would be nice to have someone share the cooking, especially since she wasn't feeling good but she loved to do it and was afraid if she allowed someone else in she'd be completely pushed out.
She made a decision if the perfect person came by it was meant to be, if not, her husband would have to deal with missing her.
The hands all decided to barbeque at the bunkhouse that night, so she finished making them salads and sent everything down with Trevor and Mark. They'd told her she didn't need to make them anything but she would've felt too guilty about it.
As Mark, Trevor and her shared an intimate dinner alone together, which was a rare thing; Emily relaxed and ate with her first real appetite in several weeks.
"Mom, you and Mark are married now, right?" Trevor asked her.
"Yes baby, we are," she said. He must've been really distracted, because he let her get away with the pet name.
"Does that mean we're going to stay here forever?" he asked again, while looking at his plate. She was unsure where he was going with the conversation.
"Yes Trevor, that's what it means," Mark answered the question for her. Trevor smiled at Mark with the happiest expression she'd ever seen pass his little face.
"Does that mean you're my Dad now?" Trevor asked shyly. Emily held her breath, not knowing what to say.
"I'm your Dad if you want me to be," Mark said, with a little crack in his own voice.
"Then can I call you Dad?" Trevor asked with pure innocence. The next words Mark spoke could make or break her son. Emily held her breath without realizing it.
"Nothing in the world would make me happier or prouder," Mark said and held his arms out to Trevor. Their son jumped out of his chair and rushed into Mark's arms. Mark squeezed him tightly to his chest.
"I love you, Dad," Trevor said and a little tear slipped from his eye.
"I love you, too," Mark said, while holding on tightly. Emily couldn't stay seated and wrapped her arms around them both, joining in the hug. They really were a family now. She could no longer keep her secret to herself.
"How would you feel about having a baby brother or sister?" she asked Trevor.
"I think that would be okay," her son said, after thinking about it for a moment.
"I think it would be more than okay," Mark added with a smile. "Do you want to get working on it?" he added, with a waggle of his eyebrows.
"We don't need to work on it," she said and laid her hand against her stomach. Mark's eyes widened, as he realized what she was telling him.
"You are?" he said in awe. She shook her head yes. He jumped up from his chair and lifted her off her feet. He spun her around as he laughed with joy. Her head started spinning a bit and she pled with him to set her down. "I'm so sorry, are you okay?" he asked, as he rubbed her all over.
"I'm fine Mark, maybe a little less spinning though," she said with a smile. He smiled back at her sheepishly.
"I can't wait to tell my family," he said excitedly. "Not only do I get one son but soon another child. Thank you so much for all you've brought into my life."
"You're the one we should be thanking. You've given us so much, most importantly of all, making us a real family."
"Let's compromise and agree we're all great together," he said.
They finished having their dinner together, then sat by the fire watching a comedy. The evening ended on a perfect note, with laughter and snuggling on the couch.